Rocky Mountain Gamer: 'Dishonored' is one of best games of the year

"Dishonored" has a few flaws, but they do not detract from one of the best new games of the year. (Courtesy photo)

"Dishonored"

From: Bethesda

Rated: M

Who's it for: Anyone looking for great action/adventure

Console: Xbox 360/PS3/PC

Grade: A

Every amazing game franchise must start somewhere.

"Super Mario Bros." appeared in arcades, then the NES. "Halo" proved Microsoft could compete with the original Xbox. "Call of Duty" first shot up PC screens before finding a home .

Keep this in mind when you play "Dishonored," the best original game since "Bioshock" and "Assassin's Creed" made a double splash in 2007.

The simple premise of "Dishonored" belies its intricacies You are Corvo Attano, a bodyguard for an empress. When she is assassinated, your mission becomes one of revenge.

In most games, this would mean charging forth with guns blazing, killing everything in your path until you conveniently find yourself facing the one ultimately responsible. Put him/her/it in a box, and you're done.

In "Dishonored," how you carry out your mission is entirely up to you. If you want to kill everyone in your path, feel free. However, you might not get the hero's ending you desire.

Or, you can sneak around, plotting and planning your way without ever taking a life. People will still die, but technically your hands remain unstained.

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Or, if you're like me, you will walk between these two extremes, keeping a low profile when possible but not hesitating to mark a few notches on your gun. Or knife. Or crossbow. Well, you get the idea.

The game presents different paths to take with different consequences for your actions. This is no simple high-road/low-road game; the world is presented in shades of gray, making it all the more compelling.

You have options for customizing your character, and you can collect runes and bone charms that allow you, respectively, to purchase abilities and enhance them. This adds a level of strategy that is lacking in many action-oriented games.

Everything folds beautifully into the setting of Dunwall, a pseudo-Victorian town with a Steampunk vibe.

Gorgeously rendered, the dreadful, plague-infested streets close in around you as you slink through the city. If you murder your way through the game, you see the consequences as the rat population increases in response to your body count.

And, remember, more rats mean more plague.

In addition to the graphics, the outstanding voice acting will draw you even deeper into the word of "Dishonored."

The cast includes Hollywood luminaries John Slattery, Michael Madsen, Carrie Fisher and Susan Sarandon, giving the setting an additional air of authenticity.

"Dishonored" still has a few rough edges, which is normal with a new franchise.

There are times during the fast action when the controls stutter, making your character move in an unintentional way. This is particularly evident when climbing, though it never reached the point of keeping me from going where I wanted. Usually, I just had to try a second time.

Also, the pacing of the game as you play the "don't kill anyone" path sometimes drags. I'm guessing it's because we gamers are used to killing everything that moves. Slowing down to think through each situation is naturally a slower experience.

Still, my attention waned, whereas it never did when I was choking out a guard or shooting a baddie in the head.

Finally, the game pushes current consoles to the limit, sometimes resulting in wonky framerates and other graphic jitters. If you have a choice, consider playing this on a high-end PC, where it shines best.

Otherwise, I wouldn't let these minor issues keep me from experiencing one of the best games of 2012.

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